Welcome to Gaia! ::

Aurin chuckled at Cindy's reminder. "Now that you mention it," he grinned, nodding, "it is very much like her to do just that."

"So she's all right, then?" Adonai pressed, still not entirely certain.

Aurin nodded again. "Yes. We are all fine. Rhea and the children are quite healthy and we are all happy."

Adonai blinked at him. "Then ... why are you here?" he asked, totally stumped. "I mean, we're happy to see you, but ... why aren't you with Rhea?"

Aurin smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck slowly. "Perhaps we should wait until Shael is down here as well," he suggested, "and then I need only repeat it once. I am certain she would be pleased to hear the news with everyone else, at any rate."

Adonai nodded curtly. "All right then. Cindy, if you would be so kind as to get him something to eat - he must be hungry after such a long flight. I'll go get Shael and tell her what's going on so far ... I don't want her to panic as I did when I found out Aurin was here alone."

As Adonai headed upstairs, Aurin followed Cindy towards the kitchen.

"So how are things here?" he asked. "It seemed peaceful when I was flying over ..."

Aurin smiled softly. "Yes ... peace is a blessing. Our land also is at peace, for the first time in a very long time. Her Majesty was reluctant to return when I was last here, but her return changed everything for our people. For the first time in thousands of years, I can say that our people are truly at peace."

He looked up, hearing footsteps on the stairs again, and a moment later Shael rushed into the room, followed by Adonai, who was taking his time.

Without even greeting him, Shael threw her arms around Aurin's neck and hugged him tightly. "It's so good to see you again!" she bubbled, sounding a bit like Rhea in her excitement. She stepped back again. "But where is Rhea? Why isn't she with you? Why are you here?"

Aurin was surprised by the hug, but he smiled warmly at Shael.

"We are all well," he assured her (again). "We have been very busy since the twins were born ... but of late, Rhea has felt homesick. She misses you. All of you," he added, including Cindy in that; and then he nodded at Shael and Adonai. "But especially you two. At first it would come and go, but then Lin and Earendil and the others left for a visit to Nauros to see Haldia again ... and now she is missing you terribly. Though I did not want to leave her alone, I offered to come and get you ... she needs you so very badly ..."

Shael's brow was furrowed anxiously, and she stepped forward and gripped Aurin's hands tightly. "Of course we'll come!" she said strongly. "How could we not?"

Aurin smiled warmly at everyone. "Thank you," he murmured. "She will be very happy to see all of you again."

"When do you want us to leave?" Shael asked him anxiously. "We could be ready to go in a few hours ... but you've just arrived, I'm sure you need some rest ..."

Aurin shook his head. "I am fine, but Skyel has been flying for five days without rest. She will need to rest at least a day. But tomorrow? Will that be all right?"

"Yes!" Shael beamed right away.

Adonai, always the more rational of the two, put one hand on his wife's shoulder. "We will be ready," he told Aurin calmly, and then, looking at Shael, he added, "but that means we will have a busy day today. We do not know how long we will be gone, we have to make sure that things here will be taken care of. And I'm sure Mother and Father and Aliya and the others would all like to see Aurin and hear about how they're all doing."

Shael laughed softly and slipped her arms around Adonai's waist. "Yes, yes, of course," she giggled. "But I can't help but be excited. It's been four years since we've seen her!"

Adonai chuckled and kissed his wife on the forehead. "And a week from now, we will be with her again," he murmured. He glanced over at Cindy. "Would you like to tell Vergil?" he asked her. "I assume you will want to take him with you."